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Go Green For Your Spring Lawn And Garden

Spring is a season of rejuvenation. As
the cold days of winter drift away, spring blooms begin to sprout and grass
regains its lush green look.

Green is certainly a color that’s
synonymous with spring. Gardening enthusiasts can find a way to make spring
even more green by embracing several eco-friendly gardening practices as they
bring their lawns and gardens back to life in the months to come.

Create a compost pile. Composting is an
eco-friendly way to enrich lawns and gardens. Composting helps to conserve
water because compost promotes moisture retention in soil, reducing homeowners’
need to water their lawns and gardens while also helping them to save money on
their water bills. Composting also helps homeowners avoid the need to use
potentially harmful chemical fertilizers because compost is a natural, slow
release fertilizer. In addition, according to Canada’s Green Action Centre,
compostable materials make up 40 percent of residential waste. So composting
can dramatically reduce the amount of waste homeowners ultimately send to
landfills.

Replace gas-powered mowers with reel
lawn mowers. Reel mowers may seem like relics from simpler times, but today’s
reel mowers, while just as eco-friendly as their predecessors, are unlike those
of yesteryear. According to the Planet Natural Research Center, an online
resource for organic gardeners, gas-powered engines emit more than 10 times the
hydrocarbons per amount of gas burned than auto engines. But reel mowers are
fuel-free and less expensive than gas-powered mowers. Planet Natural also notes
that reel mowers snip grass like scissors, leaving finer trimmings that can
serve as nourishing, weed-deterring mulch for yards.

Water at the right times of day.
Homeowners who water their lawns and gardens at the right time of day can help
the planet and reduce their energy bills. As spring gradually gives way to
summer, temperatures typically rise. Watering during the coolest times of the
day means less water will be lost to evaporation, ensuring water-needy soil
will get all it needs to help lawns and gardens thrive. Early morning watering
before the sun reaches its midday peak and/or evening watering as the sun is
setting are typically great times to water lawns and gardens, rather than when
temperatures are at their hottest.